Active Recovery

Active Recovery.

Sunday is often my favorite day of the week. I look forward to relaxing with my friends and family, planning my schedule for the week, and enjoying active recovery in the great outdoors.

Active recovery to me is a break for my CNS (central nervous system). Over the years I’ve learned the value in proper rest intervals between heavy compound lifts like deadlifts, squats, presses, and heavy chin-ups. Simply put, the body grows when it has adequate rest.

It was always hard for me to take a “rest day” out of sheer boredom. But I realized I could rest my body while still adding variety, skill work, and fun into my routine.

Having experimented with taking whole days off, I realized that my body didn’t recover as well as when I would stay active on my off days. I’m a firm believer in “no days off” for this reason: active recovery in the form of low intensity aerobic training (like trail running), helps me to enhance blood flow and get rid of my tight muscles.

Not only the physical aspect, I focus my active recovery in parks, on the trails and mountains, and in new environments. I find that my breathing regulates and I get a healthy dose of vitamin D that helps me sleep and regulate my hormones. (Side note: for years I have given myself Vitamin D homework – at least 30-45 minutes in the sun with a large percentage of my skin exposed).

I’ll follow up my hikes and trail runs with gentle stretching and inverted hanging at nighttime. Every night I also try and get 15-30 minutes of foam rolling while watching netflix. Netflix and roll anyone?

What is your active recovery like? Interested in learning how you can improve your #movementpotential and develop the body of your dreams?